Guys i need help and suggestions.. I have almost same issue i have 2007 4runner with 52K miles i got the truck at 44k miles nearly 7 months ago...i started to notice some noise from back and when i read this post i feel like its exactly same rear differential issue...When i accelerate it starts at 20m/hr and i can hear it till 35m/hour and then its still there but cant hear it due to road noise..i can also hear it again when decelerating from 60m/hr to 50m/hr..its most obvious going up hill and goes away when i am not pushing the pedal..i took it to the dealer in NJ..tech test drove with me and 1st he was reluctant to admit hat there is any noise he says you have no record that you perform differential service which is due at every 30k( the vehicle record does not show if it was performed) any ways while driving on highway at different speeds he admitted that there is noise but its pretty normal for the 4runner i said its still under warranty and if there is noise then its gonna go worse..he said that they need a proof that there is something wrong with the differential otherwise toyota wont refund them...then he said he needs to drain the fluid to check if there are metal pieces in the oil i agreed later he said the fluid was dirty and needs replacement... so they did not agree to fix the issue and were really not agreeing to move forward and in the end service manager said its normal for 4runners to have little noise......after differential oil change the noise is still there ..should i go back after some time and fight or it is useless the power train warranty expired in aug 2012 and there are 8K miles left...any suggestions would be welcomed...
Rear Differnential whine
- Thread starter popalzai
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BlackWorksInc
New member
Next time, try to make paragraphs. Reading all that on my phone is a pain.
I would take it to another dealership, dealers have gotten bitten with warranty work, and it also doesn't pay as well as customer pay so some dealers try to weasel out of it.
I would take it to another dealership, dealers have gotten bitten with warranty work, and it also doesn't pay as well as customer pay so some dealers try to weasel out of it.
Aquabear
New member
+1 to above.
I cant say for sure of your exact issue now BUT my ex Grand Cherokee did that to me, it was the rear end not once, twice BUT 3 times. But mine is another story.
Dealers really don't want to do warranty work but I have had them do it for me before and I myself am hoping today too.
Is the Dealer you bought it from the same one as the Service dept your at? It does make a difference, dealers REALLY don't want to service vehicles they didn't sell; whether it's their brand name or not and they'll find a real or bulls+++ reason not to fix it.
Good luck. Peace be with you.
I cant say for sure of your exact issue now BUT my ex Grand Cherokee did that to me, it was the rear end not once, twice BUT 3 times. But mine is another story.
Dealers really don't want to do warranty work but I have had them do it for me before and I myself am hoping today too.
Is the Dealer you bought it from the same one as the Service dept your at? It does make a difference, dealers REALLY don't want to service vehicles they didn't sell; whether it's their brand name or not and they'll find a real or bulls+++ reason not to fix it.
Good luck. Peace be with you.
just an update i went again to the same dealer and told them that after changing differential oil sound is still there..
They checked again for free..they had their master technician this time..he drove with me and he said this sound is normal and you should not be worried at all if there is a problem in differential its very bad noise while this noise is hardly noticeable ..
.he said drive with confidence differntials make noise as these are mechanical parts some make little more and some very less...
i dont know what to do...
is it really true that slight noise in differential normal?
They checked again for free..they had their master technician this time..he drove with me and he said this sound is normal and you should not be worried at all if there is a problem in differential its very bad noise while this noise is hardly noticeable ..
.he said drive with confidence differntials make noise as these are mechanical parts some make little more and some very less...
i dont know what to do...
is it really true that slight noise in differential normal?
KidVermicious
New member
Nope. If your diff is whining at you, there's trouble brewing.
If you're set on interacting with this dealership, I would first make sure that my noise was not coming from the wheel bearings, then I would pull the third myself and take it into them. Familiarize yourself with what gear lash and bearing preload are, and what your FSM calls for them to be set at, and then make the dealership mechanic prove to you that the diff is set up correctly.
But I don't know why you went back to these guys in the first place, you obviously don't trust them. Find another dealership, or even better a local driveline shop with good reviews.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/71743-seems-loud.html
Worth a read, I am starting to think this is a issue for 4Runners.
Thanks..where can i get FSM for 07 4runner
I called toyota customer service about the issue. The lady on the other end surprised me by saying that rear differential does not come under power train warranty..Is it true? i was reading manual and about power train it does not mention rear differential it says like that
Engine
Transmission and transaxle: case and all internal parts,torque converter,clutch cover,transmission mounts,transfer case and all internal parts,engine control computer,seals and gaskets
Front wheel drive system: Final drive housing and all internal parts,axle shafts, drive shafts,constant velocity joints,,front hubs and bearings,seals and gaskets
rear wheel drive system: Axle housing and all internal parts,propeller shafts, U-joints, axle shafts, drive shafts, bearings,supports,seals and gaskets
isnt the rear wheel drive systems considers rear differential am i missing something??
Engine
Transmission and transaxle: case and all internal parts,torque converter,clutch cover,transmission mounts,transfer case and all internal parts,engine control computer,seals and gaskets
Front wheel drive system: Final drive housing and all internal parts,axle shafts, drive shafts,constant velocity joints,,front hubs and bearings,seals and gaskets
rear wheel drive system: Axle housing and all internal parts,propeller shafts, U-joints, axle shafts, drive shafts, bearings,supports,seals and gaskets
isnt the rear wheel drive systems considers rear differential am i missing something??
My complete back end was replaced under the power train warranty. I had I believe 57k on the clock at the time and my car was 3 years old.
Thanks i called them again and customer service ppl were not sure again that differential is part of powertrain they said they will go with what ever dealership said...they asked me to get 2nd opinion
man toyota sucks.. thats why there are so many issue..whats the job of customer service when they have to go with the decision of dealership
JEL
New member
Funny you say that, I will buy a Toyota again, most likely, but I am now on my 3rd rear diff in 85k miles....on a stock truck with impeccable maintenance that spends most its life on the open highway.
I believe I read a while back the 5th gen got a beefier rear diff.
nevada
Senior Member
i work at an independent repair shop. over the years I have rebuilt a LOT of rear differentials. mostly due to worn bearings.
not a single one has been on a Toyota.
though, it does seem the 4th gen has more reported bearing failures than other years.
I wouldn't say "Toyota is known" for this issue.
its a mechanical part, they fail. its a bearing they fail. it happens. just have it fixed and move on.
not a single one has been on a Toyota.
though, it does seem the 4th gen has more reported bearing failures than other years.
I wouldn't say "Toyota is known" for this issue.
its a mechanical part, they fail. its a bearing they fail. it happens. just have it fixed and move on.
JEL
New member
I know every car/truck has its problems, but in my experience the 4th gen probably isn't Toyota's best effort all around. We have a fair amount of rear diff failures ($$), the dreaded transfer case leak ($$$), early V6 head gaskets ($$$), garbage calipers ($, done this twice myself), annoying front diff harmonic drone on the highway (the Lexus GX also suffered from this).
IMO the later 3rd gen is about as good as it got for Toyota, with the exception of the strawberry milkshake, which was really easy to prevent, and the leaky rear axle seals, again easy to prevent and fix, they are nearly bomb-proof. Of course they are a bit gutless, but they'll never let you down.
With that said, I'm still probably going to get a 5th gen in the near future, and I love my 4th gen. Even with the bad diffs, bad calipers (x2), and bad A/C compressor now, it's still one my of favorite rigs I've owned.
IMO the later 3rd gen is about as good as it got for Toyota, with the exception of the strawberry milkshake, which was really easy to prevent, and the leaky rear axle seals, again easy to prevent and fix, they are nearly bomb-proof. Of course they are a bit gutless, but they'll never let you down.
With that said, I'm still probably going to get a 5th gen in the near future, and I love my 4th gen. Even with the bad diffs, bad calipers (x2), and bad A/C compressor now, it's still one my of favorite rigs I've owned.
